Forced to the Altar

Chapter4

*Chapter 4: Hindi Ako Makatulog*

*Chapter 4: I Can't Sleep*

*ELENA POV*

Hindi ako makatulog.

_I can't sleep._

Alas dose na ng hatinggabi. Nasa guest room ako. Yung pinakamaliit na kwarto sa Montenegro Mansion. Pero para sa akin, palasyo na ito.

_It's 12 midnight. I'm in the guest room. The smallest room in Montenegro Mansion. But for me, it's already a palace._

Pero hindi ako makatulog dahil sa halik. Unang halik ko. Sa kusina. 10 PM. Hinalikan ako ni Adrian Montenegro.

_But I can't sleep because of the kiss. My first kiss. In the kitchen. 10 PM. Adrian Montenegro kissed me._

Sabi niya wala lang daw yun. Karapatan lang daw niya bilang asawa sa kontrata. Pero bakit nanginginig kamay niya nung hinawakan niya bewang ko?

_He said it was nothing. Just his right as contract husband. But why were his hands shaking when he held my waist?_

Tumayo ako at pumunta sa banyo. Tumingin sa salamin. 23 years old. Morena. Nakasuot ng lumang pantulog na bigay ni Mama.

_I stood up and went to bathroom. Looked in mirror. 23 years old. Morena. Wearing old pajama from Mama._

"Elena, baliw ka na ba?" bulong ko sa sarili ko. "Gold digger lang tingin niya sayo! Pandesal girl! Huwag ka umasa!"

_"Elena, are you crazy?" I whispered to myself. "He only thinks you're a gold digger! Pandesal girl! Don't hope!"_

May kumatok sa pinto. Si Manang Fe, may dalang gatas.

_Someone knocked at door. Manang Fe, carrying milk._

"Manang, pwede po ba... dalhin ko sa kanya itong gatas?" sabi ko. Gusto ko lang makita siya.

_"Manang, can I... bring him this milk?" I said. I just want to see him._

*ADRIAN POV*

Hindi ako makatulog. Nasa balcony ako.

_I can't sleep. I'm at balcony._

Hawak ko yung sirang heart pendant ni Elena. Yung binigay ni Lolo na sinira ni Sophia kaninang umaga.

_I'm holding Elena's broken heart pendant. The one Lolo gave that Sophia broke this morning._

10 PM, hinalikan ko si Elena sa kusina. Bakit ko ginawa yun? 23 years old. Pandesal girl from Tondo. Gold digger. Dapat hindi ko siya hinahalikan.

_10 PM, I kissed Elena in kitchen. Why did I do that? 23 years old. Pandesal girl from Tondo. Gold digger. I should not have kissed her._

Pero nung umiyak siya kanina dahil sinira ni Sophia necklace, may naramdaman ako. Inis kay Sophia. At awa kay Elena. Nung naghuhugas siya ng plato kahit Mrs. Montenegro na siya, naalala ko Mama ko. Mabait. Mapagkumbaba. Tulad ni Elena.

_But when she cried earlier because Sophia broke necklace, I felt something. Anger at Sophia. And pity for Elena. When she was washing dishes even though she is Mrs. Montenegro, I remembered my Mama. Kind. Humble. Like Elena._

Damn. Bakit ko kinukumpara si Elena kay Mama?

_Damn. Why am I comparing Elena to Mama?_

Biglang may tumawag. "Sir Adrian?"

_Suddenly someone called. "Sir Adrian?"_

Si Elena. May dalang gatas. Nakasuot ng lumang pantulog. Luma pero malinis. Mahaba buhok. Walang make-up. Pero bakit maganda siya sa ilalim ng buwan?

_Elena. Carrying milk. Wearing old pajama. Old but clean. Long hair. No make-up. But why is she beautiful under moonlight?_

*SOPHIA POV*

Alas dose ng hatinggabi. Nasa kwarto ni Adrian ako. Naka-sexy red lingerie ako. Victoria's Secret. 15,000 pesos.

_12 midnight. I'm in Adrian's room. Wearing sexy red lingerie. Victoria's Secret. 15,000 pesos._

Pero wala si Adrian! Nasa balcony daw sabi ni Manang Fe!

_But Adrian is not here! At balcony said Manang Fe!_

Sinilip ko sa bintana. At anong nakita ko?! Si Elena! Yung pandesal girl! May dalang gatas kay Adrian! At magkahawak kamay sila!

_I peeked at window. And what did I see?! Elena! The pandesal girl! Bringing milk to Adrian! And they are holding hands!_

Anong ginagawa ng mahirap na babaeng yan kay Adrian ng hatinggabi?!

_What is that poor girl doing with Adrian at midnight?!_

Hindi! Akin si Adrian! Girlfriend ako ng 3 taon! Ako dapat papakasalan, hindi ang pandesal girl na yan!

_No! Adrian is mine! Girlfriend for 3 years! I should be the one to marry, not that pandesal girl!_

At yung necklace? Inayos pa ni Adrian? Yung sinira ko? Dapat sira yun!

_And that necklace? Adrian fixed it? The one I broke? It should be broken!_

Kailangan ko gumawa ng plano. Papahirapan ko buhay niya dito. Hindi siya magtatagal ng isang taon.

_I need to make a plan. I will make her life miserable here. She will not last one year._

*MANANG FE POV*

Ako si Manang Fe. 60 taong gulang. 30 years na akong kasambahay sa Montenegro Mansion.

_I am Manang Fe. 60 years old. 30 years housemaid in Montenegro Mansion._

Nakita ko lahat. Mabait na bata dati si Adrian. Pero nung namatay Mama niya, naging malamig. Naging demonyo.

_I saw everything. Adrian was a good boy before. But when his Mama died, he became cold. Became devil._

Tapos dumating si Elena. 23. Taga Tondo. Nagtitinda ng pandesal. Mabait. Masipag. Magalang. Tulad ng Mama ni Adrian.

_Then Elena came. 23. From Tondo. Pandesal vendor. Kind. Hardworking. Respectful. Like Adrian's Mama._

Alam ko may gusto si Adrian kay Elena. Kahit ayaw niya aminin. Kanina sa kusina, hinalikan niya si Elena. Nakita ko sa CCTV.

_I know Adrian likes Elena. Even if he doesn't admit it. Earlier in kitchen, he kissed Elena. I saw it in CCTV._

At ngayon, magkahawak kamay sila sa balcony habang may gatas. Bagay sila.

_And now, they are holding hands at balcony with milk. They are perfect._

Pero nandoon si Sophia sa kwarto ni Adrian. Naka-red lingerie. Naghihintay. Ahas na babae. Kawawa si Elena.

_But Sophia is in Adrian's room. Wearing red lingerie. Waiting. Snake woman. Poor Elena._

*LOLO ALEJANDRO POV*

Alas dose ng hatinggabi. Hindi ako makatulog. May sakit ako sa puso.

_12 midnight. Can't sleep. I have heart disease._

Tumawag si Manang Fe. Sabi niya magkahawak kamay si Adrian at Elena sa balcony.

_Manang Fe called. She said Adrian and Elena are holding hands at balcony._

Ngumiti ako. Sa wakas.

_I smiled. Finally._

Alam ko tama desisyon ko na pinilit ko si Adrian pakasalan si Elena. Hindi si Sophia. Si Sophia pera lang habol. Si Elena mabait at gusto magka-pamilya.

_I know my decision was right to force Adrian to marry Elena. Not Sophia. Sophia only after money. Elena is kind and wants family._

Gusto ko magka-apo sa tuhod bago ako mamatay. At si Elena magbibigay nun.

_I want great-grandchild before I die. And Elena will give that._

Bukas pupunta ako sa mansion. Para bigyan ulit ng regalo si Elena. Sing-sing naman.

_Tomorrow I will go to mansion. To give gift again to Elena. Ring this time._

*ELENA POV - BALIK*

"Sir Adrian? Gatas po para makatulog kayo..." sabi ko, nanginginig.

_"Sir Adrian? Milk for you to sleep..." I said, trembling._

Tinitigan niya ako. "Ikaw? Hindi ka makatulog dahil sa... halik?" diretso niyang tanong.

_He stared at me. "You? Can't sleep because of... kiss?" he asked directly._

Namula ako! "Hindi! Hindi po! Nakalimutan ko na yun!"

_"No! No! I already forgot that!"_

Lumapit siya. Isang hakbang. Nasa harap ko na siya. Amoy ko pabango niya.

_He came closer. One step. He's in front of me now. I can smell his perfume._

"Nakalimutan? Talaga?" bulong niya. Hinawakan niya baba ko. "Hindi mo nakalimutan. Nanginginig labi mo."

_"Forgot? Really?" he whispered. He held my chin. "You didn't forget. Your lips are trembling."_

"Elena, yung halik kanina... hindi dapat nangyari. Hindi kita gusto. Kontrata lang tayo. Kaya wag kang umasa."

_"Elena, that kiss earlier... should not have happened. I don't like you. Contract only. So don't hope."_

"Hindi po ako umaasa, Sir!" putol ko, umiiyak na. "Alam ko mahirap lang ako! Gold digger lang tingin niyo sa akin!"

_"I'm not hoping, Sir!" I cut, crying now. "I know I'm just poor! You only think I'm gold digger!"_

Tumulo luha ko.

_My tears fell._

Nakita niya luha ko at natigilan siya. Kinuha niya sirang pendant sa bulsa.

_He saw my tears and stopped. He took broken pendant from pocket._

"Inayos ko na. Bukas pupunta tayo sa jewelry shop para hinangin. Ayokong magalit si Lolo."

_"I already fixed plan. Tomorrow we will go to jewelry shop to solder it. I don't want Lolo to get angry."_

Inabot niya. Hinawakan niya kamay ko. Mainit. Malaki.

_He handed it. He held my hand. Warm. Big._

"Elena, isang taon lang ito. Pagkatapos, babalik ka sa Tondo na may 50 million. Kaya tiisin mo lang ugali ko. Okay?"

_"Elena, only one year. After that, you will return to Tondo with 50 million. So just endure my attitude. Okay?"_

Tumango ako.

_I nodded._

"Matulog ka na. Goodnight, Elena."

_"Go to sleep now. Goodnight, Elena."_

"Goodnight, Sir Adrian," bulong ko.

_"Goodnight, Sir Adrian," I whispered._

"Elena."

_"Elena."_

Lumingon ako.

_I turned._

"Yung gatas... akin ba yan?"

_"That milk... is that mine?"_

Ngumiti ako kahit may luha. "Opo. Para makatulog kayo."

_"Yes. For you to sleep."_

Kinuha niya. Ininom. "Matamis," sabi niya.

_He took it. Drank it. "Sweet," he said._

Hindi ko alam kung yung gatas ang matamis, o ako.

_I don't know if milk is sweet, or me._

Umakyat na ako pababa. Pero sa bawat hakbang, nararamdaman ko pa rin init ng kamay niya.

_I went down. But every step, I still feel warmth of his hand._

Pumasok ako sa kwarto at humiga. Hinawakan ko labi ko. At sa wakas... nakatulog ako. Habang hawak yung pendant.

_I entered room and lay down. I touched my lips. And finally... I fell asleep. While holding pendant._

*TO BE CONTINUED...*

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*END OF CHAPTER 4*

*Author's Note:* Grabe! 5 POVs na! Si Sophia nagseselos sa balcony! Si Lolo at Manang Fe kampi kay Elena! Ano next? Pupunta pa ba si Adrian kay Sophia na naka-red lingerie? O kay Elena?

Comment: TEAM ELENA!

Next: Chapter 5 - First Date sa Jewelry Shop!

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